The winner of Thursday night's game between the Phoenix Coyotes and San Jose Sharks was going to get a leg up in the Western Conference playoffs race. With a 2-0 shutout, the Coyotes got that leg up, rising to seventh in the conference.
Sharks Vs. Coyotes: Phoenix Blanks San Jose, Moves Up To No. 7 Seed
WIth a 2-0 win over the Sharks, the Phoenix Coyotes moved into playoff position in the Western Conference.
Radim Vrbata got both Coyotes goals on the night, tickling the twine in the second and third periods and getting assisted by Ray Whitney each time. But Mike Smith was just as critical for Phoenix, making 38 saves in his sixth shutout of the year.
Antti Niemi's 31 saves were not enough for San Jose, but the Sharks weren't badly outplayed; about the only category Phoenix had a decided advantage in was hitting (38 to 20), and San Jose outshot the Coyotes in the first and third periods.
The win moves Phoenix to 89 points on the season. With the loss, San Jose remains at 88 points, but falls out of the current playoff lineup, with Los Angeles, also at 88 points, having a better record. The Kings also have one more game left to play than the Sharks do.
For more on the Coyotes, visit Five For Howling; for more on the Sharks, head to Fear the Fin.
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